Black Rose
by AnahitatheMoonlakefairy
Summary: Hazel is starting her junior year of high school when she runs into Zander Smith, who doesn't look like the kid who used to pull pranks on people. Her best friend Khalidiah is talking about Hazel's magic, which isn't that unusual. Things get crazy when Duncan, Hazel's ex-boyfriend, comes to visit. Hazel needs all the help she can get. Maybe even Night World help.
1. Chapter 1

**AN - Sorry I haven't uploaded anything in a while. I've been really busy with school and I haven't had time to write. Plus, add the fact that I couldn't come up with a good story idea. Writer's block sucks. I hope there are people out there who want to read my stories. I will try to upload more chapters as soon as possible as long as there are people who want to read more. Hopefully, I didn't lose anyone with my un-organization/procrastination. Again, I'm sorry and hope you like this new story. **

**Disclaimer - I don't own anything related to the Night World Series. I don't own the characters (no characters so far, but there will be characters), the 'actual' Night World, Night World symbols, etc. I do own Hazel, Duncan, Zander, and Khalidiah.  
**

**Help with pronouncing names - Khalidiah = Ca-li-di-a  
**

**Chapter 1**

**Hazel **

I head to my locker, intent on studying before the bell rings. I open the steel metal door, the hinges squeaking. I grab my Biology book, putting it in my book bag as I shut my locker. I turn to find a quiet place to study when I run into someone.

I fall to the ground, the content of my book bag spilling onto the floor. I scramble to get everything back into my bag, not looking up to see who I collided with. I reach for my Bio book just as someone else does.

Our hands touch and a spark is sent up my arm. I look up and come face to face with the greenest eyes I've ever seen. I blush as Zander Smith grabs my Bio book and hands it to me. I stand, not trusting my voice. He stands, too, and smiles at me.

"Thanks," I squeak out.

He laughs, his voice filling the empty hall. "No problem," he replies.

I wait for him to continue, but he doesn't. He stands there, staring at me. My heart beats in my chest and I think it's going to explode any minute. His eyes flash and he cocks his head as if he's listening to something only he can hear. Then, it passes and he's normal again.

"You done staring?" I ask, annoyed.

"Oh, sorry. You're Hazel, right?" he asks.

I nod. "And you're Zander. Now that we have that established, is there anything else you'd like to ask?" I reply.

When he doesn't say anything, I walk down the hall just as the bell rings. I groan, frustrated I didn't get to study. I head towards my first period class when I hear a squeal. I turn to see my best friend, Khalidiah, running towards me. I sigh, ready for whatever gossip she has. She stops in front of me, bending over to catch her breath.

"Breathe, Khalidiah," I say, rubbing her back.

She sucks in a deep breath and then jumps into her giant speech. "Oh my gosh, do you realize who you were talking to? That was Zander Smith, _the _Zander Smith. Can you believe how hot he is now? And he was talking to you. _He _was talking to _you_," she rambles.

I hold up my hand, stopping her. "Yeah, Khalidiah, I know who I was talking to. He's still the same Zander, you know, the immature one who played those stupid little pranks," I say.

"But he's so hot now. Plus, people do change," she whines.

"I don't know. But you are right. He is better looking than he was last year," I murmur, my face reddening.

Khalidiah glares at me. "Really? 'Better looking'? Can't you just admit he's hot?" she says, annoyed.

"Fine, he's hot," I sigh.

"I knew it. You do think he's hot," she squeals, "you should go talk to him."

I shake my head. "No way," I say.

"Why not? Are you scared he won't talk to you? Maybe you can use some of your magic on him," she suggests.

"I don't have magical powers, Khalidiah," I sigh, shaking my head.

"Yes, you do. At least, you thought so when you're grandma was around. She taught you everything you know," she says.

"I don't believe in that stuff anymore," I whisper, not wanting to talk about it.

"Well, you better start believing again because you'll need it," she whispers, ominously.

I look at her. "What do you mean?" I say, scared and confused.

"Oh, just that you'll need it if you want Zander," she squeals, her voice changing in seconds.

I laugh. "Sometimes, I think you have more than one person inside your head. What exactly goes on up there?" I joke.

"Nothing you'd want to know about," she says, vaguely.

I laugh as she wraps her arm around me as we head towards class. I glance at her hand and see the black dahlia ring she has. I smile, looking at the intricate detail of the flower. I've always loved her ring, but she never takes it off.

We race to Biology and make it in the room just as the late bell rings. We smile at each other as we take our seats and listen to Mr. Arial talk about genetics and chromosomes.

Suddenly, I feel like someone's watching me. I turn around and see Zander staring at me. He smiles, showing the whitest teeth I've ever seen. I turn back around, my cheeks reddening. I look over at Khalidiah, but she's scribbling in her notebook.

I sigh, sinking into my chair. I glare at my stomach, trying to make the butterflies go away, but it doesn't seem to work. I start to zone out when the bell rings and everyone shuffles to get out of the classroom. I shove my notebook into my book bag and get up, slinging it over my shoulder.

I head to my next class, not waiting for Khalidiah. I float through my next classes, the butterflies in my stomach never subsiding. In each class, Zander is there staring at me. When the final bell rings, I jump up from my seat and run to the parking lot.

I head to the big oak tree near the front of the school. I let my book bag slide off my shoulder as I sit down under the giant branches of the tree. I sit there, waiting for my mom to come pick me up, when I see Khalidiah coming out of the front doors of the school. I'm about to call out to her, when Zander walks up to her. I scoot farther into the shadows of the tree, so they don't see me.

I watch as Khalidiah points to her black dahlia ring and then at Zander's shirt. I stare at his shirt. It's white with a black rose on it. I stare at it for a few minutes, wondering where I've seen something like that before.

When I can't remember, I look back at Khalidiah and Zander. I see Zander nod like he knows what Khalidiah is talking about. Then he walks away. I watch him walk down the sidewalk until he disappears around the corner leading to the neighborhoods near the school.

I stare at the spot where he disappeared when I remember Khalidiah. I look back and see her standing there, staring at me. We lock eyes and stare at each other. Then, she smiles at me and heads to her car. She opens the door to the silver car and gets in. The car comes to life and she drives out of the parking lot to her house.

I sit there, thinking about what Zander and Khalidiah could have talked about. I'm lost in thought when my phone vibrates, telling me I have a text message. I grab it to see who texted me. It's my mom. I get up when I read the text that says I should start walking home since she's going to be late. I pick up my book bag and head down the sidewalk.

I'm opening my front door forty-five minutes later. I head to the kitchen, wanting to snack on something. I grab an apple and head up the stairs to my room. I open my door and drop my apple. Sitting on my bed is my ex-boyfriend, Duncan. A scream builds up in my throat, but he puts a finger to his lips, quieting me.

"Ah, Hazel, just the girl I've been waiting for," he says, his silky voice clouding my mind.

He gets up from my bed and is in front of me in a flash. I blink and look up into his silver eyes. He spins me around so my back is to him. I feel his breath on my neck and the rise and fall of his chest.

I close my eyes as I start to fall asleep when an image of Zander pops into my head: his smile, his shirt, and his eyes. My eyes open and my mind clears. I step out of Duncan's arms and I turn to face him.

"How did you get up here?" I ask, crossing my arms.

"Come on Hazel. Does it really matter how I got up here?" he says, coming closer to me.

I hold up my hand, stopping him. "Yes it does. What are you even doing here? We broke up, remember," I say, annoyed.

He sighs, running his hand through his brown hair. "The front door was unlocked, but I thought we could get back together," he says, wrapping his arms around me.

I push him away, wanting nothing to do with him. "Just go away. I don't want to get back together and I don't want to see you in my room ever again," I say through clenched teeth, trying to hold my anger down.

"Fine, but I'd watch out if I were you," he says, ominously as he heads out of my room. I hear the front door close as I flop onto my bed. I stare at the ceiling when I hear my phone vibrate. I groan as I get up from my bed. I find my phone in my book bag and I look at the screen to see who's calling me. I see that it's Khalidiah, but I hesitate, debating whether or not I should answer. I hit accept and put it on speaker.

"Hello?" I answer the phone.

"Hey, are you okay?" Khalidiah asks.

I lay down on my bed before I answer. "Not really. Today was just a crazy day," I say.

"You want to talk about it?" Khalidiah asks, concern in her voice.

I sigh. "Well, in every class, Zander was staring at me. I had butterflies the whole day and then after school, I saw you and Zander talking. Oh and to top it all off, I found Duncan sitting in my bedroom when I came home," I answer.

Khalidiah doesn't answer. I sit there in silence, waiting for her to say something. I sigh, but she doesn't say anything.

"Khalidiah? Are you there?" I ask, my voice soft.

"Yeah, I'm here. So you saw me and Zander?" she whispers.

"Yeah, I did," I reply, waiting for her to explain.

She sighs. "It isn't what you think. I know you like him, if you admit it or not," she pauses and my cheeks redden even though she can't see me, "I can't tell you what we were talking about until you believe again."

"What's that supposed to mean?" I yell, frustrated.

"It means what it means. I can't explain it any further," she says, cryptically.

I sigh, exasperated. "Why do you have to be so . . . mysterious sometimes? Sometimes, I feel like you're keeping secrets from me and I thought we told each other everything," I say, confused.

More silence and then I hear her sigh. "I know, but this is too dangerous to mess with. Anyway, you said you saw Duncan in your bedroom. What did he do?" she says, changing the subject.

I sigh, annoyed with everyone. "Well, it was so weird. When I broke up with him, I didn't feel anything for him, but when I saw him today, it was like I was hypnotized. I wanted him more than anything, but then a picture of Zander popped into my mind and the feeling stopped. Then I told him to get out. Plus, he was really creping me out. He was like breathing on my neck," I explain.

I hear Khalidiah gasp and a knot forms in my stomach. "What? What's wrong?" I ask, scared.

A few seconds pass before she answers. "Nothing, but did he hurt you in any way?" she asks, her voice even more serious, if that's even possible.

"No, he didn't hurt me," I answer, the knot in my stomach tightening.

She sighs. "Good, but seriously Haze, you need to think about your grandmother and what she taught you. You have amazing talents, don't let them go to waste," she says and then she hangs up before I can reply.

I toss my phone on my nightstand and close my eyes. I try to close out all the sounds sneaking into my ears, but can't. I lay there, staring at the ceiling, for what feels like years, but could only be about an hour.

My mind wanders to Zander and his shirt. The way it falls on his chest and tightens when he laughs isn't the only thing on my mind. The black rose on his shirt clutters my mind. I feel like I've seen it before.

My thinking is cut short when my phone vibrates again. It's probably Khalidiah again, checking up on me, but when I look at the caller id I don't recognize the number.

I hit accept and put the phone to my ear. "Hello?" I answer, shakily.

"Hey, is this Hazel?" A deep male voice asks.

"Yea, who is this?" I ask, unsteadily.

"It's Derek. Derek McDonald," comes the reply.

My entire body freezes. Derek McDonald is calling me? The most popular guy at school. The football quarterback, the homecoming king. The best (rumor) kisser ever. He is calling me?

I lay there frozen, until I realize where I am. "So can I ask why you're calling me?" I ask, my voice cracking.

"Well, some of us seniors are having a party tonight at my house since my parents are out of town and we decided to invite some juniors. So you want to come?" he explains, his voice washing over me.

My paralysis returns and I lay there frozen again. It takes all of my strength to keep my phone from falling out of my hand. I suppress the girlish scream building up in my throat and put the phone back up to my ear.

"Sure, what time should I be there?" I ask, trying to sound nonchalant.

"Be there around seven. Some people like to be late, but the real party is at the beginning," he says.

We talk for a little bit after before we say our good-byes and hang up. I hold my phone to my chest as if it's a precious treasure that I don't want anyone to steal. I look over at my alarm clock and suddenly sit up.

The time reads 6:25 and I shoot out of bed. I head to my closet and try to find something to wear. I settle on a grey long-sleeve sweater that goes to about mid-thigh and a pair of dark jeans. I pull on my black boots and head to the bathroom. I check my hair and spray some perfume on. I do one more hair check and head downstairs. I call for my mom, but she doesn't answer.

I see a note on the fridge and pull it off. It reads: "Hazel, sorry I'm going to be home late from work. There are some leftovers in the fridge, but you can go out if you want. The keys to the car on near the door. Don't be out too late. Love you, Mom."

I head to the front door, grab the keys and head out. I get in the car and head towards the address Derek gave me. When I get close, I pull over to the side of the road where very few cars are. I park the car and get out, making sure I lock it before heading towards Derek's house.

I get to his house and it's a mansion compared to my house. I walk up the driveway and head to the front door. I ring the doorbell and Derek answers right away. He smiles at me.

"Hey, Hazel, glad you could make it," he shouts over the blasting music coming from inside the house.

He leads me inside and I'm surprised to see so many people already here. I check my phone and the time reads 7:09. Derek was right. The party is at the beginning.

I sit down on the couch in the enormous living room and watch as people dance, drink and make-out. Someone hands me a drink, but I pour it in the plant next to the couch.

Half an hour later, a guy I don't know pulls me off the couch and onto the dance floor, which is pretty much the entire living room. The music energizes me and I start to dance. I laugh and talk to the guy who pulled me off the couch.

An hour passes and I start to get tired. The guy points me to the kitchen where I get some water. I'm about to get a refill when I see him. I stare at him and the glass I'm holding falls out of my hand. Luckily, it doesn't break and I hurry to pick it up.

When I set it on the counter, I glance in his direction and he locks eyes with me. He smiles and heads towards me, but I turn in the opposite direction. I head to the backyard where people are swimming in the pool, when I look over my shoulder and see Duncan following me.

I pick up my pace and turn a corner, not paying attention to where I'm going. I hit a dead end, but it's too late. I turn around and Duncan's there, blocking my path.

"There you are, Hazel. I've been looking for you," he says, taking a step closer to me.

I take a step back, but hit the wall behind me. "What do you want, Duncan?" I ask, my voice shaking.

"Oh, I think you know what I want," he says, matter-of-factly.

I shake my head, but he keeps coming closer. I close my eyes, wishing he'd disappear, but he doesn't. Then, he's right in front of me. He's so close I can feel his breath on my face.

I try to keep my eyes closed, but I can't. I open them and I'm staring into his silver eyes. They seem to hypnotize me. A burning desire starts to form deep inside me.

The more I stare into his eyes, the more I _want_ him. I crave him. I _need_ him and he needs me.

Then the words escape my lips, "Kiss me."

He does. It's hungry and full of heat. My body reacts, the feeling starting to be satisfied. He deepens the kiss. He kisses me and I kiss back. Then he moves, slowly, to my neck. I gasp for air when his lips leave mine, but I don't protest. He starts to kiss my neck and I let him.

His teeth brush the skin of my neck and an image of a black rose pops into my head. My eyes open, slowly, and I think of Zander's shirt. That gets me thinking of Zander and I realize where I am. I gasp and push Duncan away.

"What are you doing?" he says, his voice hoarse from kissing me.

I shake my head, knowing what I've done. A strange feeling settles at the bottom of my stomach and I feel like I'm going to be sick. My eyes feel with tears when I think of Zander. I feel like I've betrayed him even though I barely know him.

Duncan takes a step closer to me, but I hold my hand out to stop him.

"Go away," I say through clenched teeth, my anger at him rising.

He laughs and smiles at me. "I can't do that, Hazel," he says, a smile in his voice.

I push past him, determined to get as far away from him as possible. I head out the front door of Derek's house and down the street to my car. I take the keys out from my pocket. When I look up to unlock the car, I drop the keys. Standing there, with his arms crossed, is Duncan.

"How did you . . ." my voice trails off.

He smiles at me. "How did I get here so fast? Well, I can't tell you, but I will soon."

And then, I'm pinned to my car, Duncan's hand around my neck. I feel his breath on my neck and he twists my arm. I scream in pain, but no one seems to hear me.

I brace myself for more pain, but it doesn't come. Then, I feel him release me and I fall to the ground, holding my arm. I start to cry, sitting on the ground. Then, I hear what sounds like two people fighting and I look up. That's when I see why Duncan let go of me.

Someone pulled him off of me and was now fighting him. I couldn't see their faces because there was no light anywhere except for the distant streetlamp, but also because it seemed like they both moved with inhumane speed. They were both a blur.

I focus on my rescuer and I gasp when I see who it is. Zander ducks just in time, making Duncan miss his attempt at punching Zander. I watch them fight, neither one overpowering the other.

Suddenly, it's like everything happens in slow motion. I watch as they both pause and start to change. They both start to grow what looks like fangs and their eyes start to get a red tint to them. They circle each other, waiting for the other to make the first move.

I sit there watching, silently praying I'm dreaming. Duncan suddenly lashes out and aims to punch Zander in the jaw, but misses and Zander spins around hitting Duncan square in the shoulder. Duncan staggers backwards, but doesn't back down. He rotates his shoulder a little and it seems as if it fixed itself.

Before anything else can happen, Zander comes to stand in front of me, hissing at Duncan. It's almost animal-like. Duncan backs down and starts walking down the street, away from me and Zander.

I sit there, not moving, waiting for the adrenaline to wear off. When my breathing returns to normal, I struggle to stand up with my bad arm. I grunt and Zander spins around as if remembering I was there. His face was back to normal, but I knew better. He takes a step towards me, but I hold up my hand, stopping him.

I finally get up, but groan when I see the keys still on the ground. I bend to pick them up, but Zander has them in his hand before I'm even near them. He holds out his hand, waiting for me to take them. I reach out my hand, hesitantly, but I take the keys.

"Thanks," I whisper, not wanting to talk to him, but my body says differently.

I turn to get in my car, but he stops me by grabbing my wrist. I stiffen and he lets go. My hand falls to my side, but I don't move to get in the car.

"Hazel," is all he says and I'm crying. I wrap my arms around myself, trying to stop myself from shaking, but it doesn't work. Then, Zander turns me around and wraps his arms around me. I cry into his chest, letting him stroke my hair. It soothes me enough to turn my crying into sobs.

I feel him staring at me and I look up into his green eyes. "I'm sorry," he whispers, not wanting to break the moment.

I nod, knowing I forgive him. Then I say the one thing I'm not sure I want to be true. "You're a vampire."

**Thanks for reading. I would really appreciate it if you could review. I will try to upload more chapters faster this time. Thanks for reading my story. I hope you liked it.  
**


	2. Chapter 2

**I am really sorry I took forever to upload another chapter. I was focusing on school. Finals, ugh. But school is over and I finally got into finishing the second chapter. Yay! I do apologize again. There's just excuse after excuse with me not finishing this. I hope you guys like it and thanks to those who reviewed and read my first chapter.  
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Night World characters (Thierry and Hannah) or anything from the Night World series.  
**

**Hazel**

He nods and I shrug his arms off me. I back away from him, not knowing what to do. He takes a step towards me, a pleading look on his face. My back hits my car and I have nowhere else to go. He keeps coming towards me, when I see a flash of something in his hand. I instantly know what it is and my stomach does a flip. I straighten my shoulders even though I'm shaking with fear.

"Where did you get that?" I ask, trying to hide the shakiness of my voice.

He stops, a confused look on his face. Then he sees me looking at his hand and he suddenly remembers.

"You're friend gave it to me. Khalidiah?" he explains, holding out his hand for me to take the ring.

I quickly grab it and hold it in the palm hand. I look down at the intricate design of the flower. I stand there staring at it when I remember where I am.

"I know the ring is Khalidiah's, but why would she give to you? She never takes it off," I say as a knot forms in my stomach.

"It's not Khalidiah's. She said it was yours. I came here to talk to you and she said to give that to you," he says.

I look back at the ring and see what I had missed. My initials, H.A.E., are engraved in the band of the ring. I run my fingers over the letters and a spark goes down my arm, the knot clearing from my stomach. My eyes start to blur as I think of my grandmother.

"I know what the H and the E stand for, but I couldn't figure out what the A was," I hear Zander say.

I look up and see him staring at the . . . _my_ . . . ring and I smile. "It stands for Hazel Amanda Edwards. My grandmother's name was Amanda," I whisper.

Zander's quiet for a minute. I hear him sigh. "How did she . . . you know?" he asks, softly.

I shake my head, not wanting to talk about it. Tears start to run down my cheeks and I stand there, sobbing. Then I feel arms wrap around me and I lean against Zander's chest. We stand like for what feels like forever. Then he pulls away from me and we silently get in my car. Zander drives me home. We don't talk on the way there, except when I mumble for him to turn.

I get out of the car and Zander hands me the keys. His hand lingers on mine and I don't want him to let me go, but he does. My hand drops to my side and I trudge up the driveway to the front door. I stop when I hear Zander call my name. I turn around.

"See you tomorrow?" he asks.

I nod and continue to head to the door. Before I go inside, I glance one more time over my shoulder, but Zander is gone. I walk inside, putting the keys on the kitchen table. I walk up the stairs to my room and fall onto my bed, putting the ring on my nightstand. I stare at the ceiling when I realize I didn't see Mom's car in the driveway.

I jump up from my bed and run downstairs.

"Mom, mom!" I yell, wondering where she could be. I head into the kitchen and look at the clock on the wall. It reads 12:04. I stiffen. Mom would be home by now or she would have at least called me. I pull out my phone to see if I missed a call or text, but there's nothing new. I call Khalidiah, but it goes straight to voicemail.

That's when I start freaking out. I run around the house, looking in every corner as if my mom was playing hide and seek. When I've checked every inch of the house, I fall on the couch. I lay there, my mind racing. I lay there thinking when I hear a faint noise.

My heart flutters and I sit up. I sit there listening for another sound, but nothing happens. I get up and head towards the kitchen. Tiptoeing through the kitchen, I find nothing out of the ordinary. I look around and freeze when I see a piece of paper lying on the floor. I pick it up, my hands shaking. I stare at it, the words blurring together.

I blink back my tears and read the note. It says: "My dear Hazel, you have been a bad girl. I had no idea you knew that . . . _boy_. Anyway, you should not have crossed me. I told you to be careful. Maybe I should have told your mother that as well. She is quite nice, maybe even too nice. She just let me right in. I won't threaten you or anything, but I think you're smart enough to know what I'm saying. I need to talk to you, Hazel and this is the only way to do that. Meet me at our favorite place and we can talk. Forever yours, Duncan"

I stand there staring at the note, and then I crumple it. I throw the ball of paper across the room, anger rising inside of me. With adrenaline rushing through me, I race out the front door, not bothering with my car. I run towards the park, knowing where Duncan will be. I stop to catch my breath when I see him standing under the huge oak tree where we hung out all the time.

I walk over to the tree, looking around to see if anyone else is near. The park is deserted except for us. I pause at the edge of the shadows of the tree. Duncan turns around and smiles, his teeth shining in the dark. He doesn't say anything as he walks in front of me. I close my eyes and feel his breath on my face. My hands clench and I force myself to not be hypnotized by him.

"What's wrong, Hazel?" he asks, his voice floating in the air.

I shake my head, not trusting my voice. His hand touches my cheek and I flinch. I feel him take one of my hands and force my fingers open. I gasp at the pain that shoots up my arm. Then my hand touches his face. His cheek feels smooth to the touch.

"Come on Hazel. Open your eyes. You know you want to," he whispers into my ear.

His breath on my face, I open my eyes. I blink a few times and I see him standing in front of me. He kisses my hand and smiles.

"There are your pretty eyes," he says.

My gaze snaps to the ground when I see a flash of silver. I stand there, shaking. Duncan lets go of my hand and uses his own to lift my head. I force my eyes closed, but they open as soon as I do. My eyes lock with Duncan's. His silver eyes. They're so beautiful. I get lost in his eyes and everything around me fades away. It's just me and him.

"Good. There you go. Keep your eyes on mine. Now, do you want to know where your mother is?" he asks, his voice echoing in my ears.

I nod my head, my eyes following him as he paces in front of me.

"Very well. I will tell you where she is but you have to do a little something for me first," he whispered, his voice coming from behind me now.

I wait for him to answer. When he doesn't I ask him, "What is it I have to do?"

I feel his hands on my shoulders and his breath on the back of my neck. "You have to get rid of a friend of mine," he says.

"Who?" I ask, my voice showing no feeling.

"Thierry Descouedres," he whispers, "you have to kill Thierry."

"How do I find him?" I ask.

"Ask your friend Khalidiah. Now, if you do this one tiny favor for me, I'll tell you where your mother is. Do you understand?" he says.

I nod. "Yes, I understand. Kill Thierry and I will get my mom," I answer.

"Good."

That one word breaks my paralysis. I blink a few times, looking around. I don't see Duncan anywhere.

"Duncan," I yell, "Duncan!"

All I hear is the wind blowing in my ears. I stand, waiting for something to happen. After a few minutes, I head home. I slam the front door, my face hot with anger. I run upstairs, my feet pounding on the steps. I head into my room and jump onto my bed.

I lay there, staring at the ceiling. My mind races of everything that has happened to me. Emotions run through me, not staying on one for more than a few minutes. I finally fall asleep, thinking of Duncan, my mom, and Zander.

I wake up to the sound of birds chirping. I look out of my window and see the sun shining. It's a beautiful day and I sigh, remembering everything that happened last night.

_Why can't my life be normal?_

I get out of bed and change into more comfortable clothes. I put on my favorite t-shirt. It's navy blue and has a v-shaped neckline. I put on a pair of dark jeans and my black boots. I check my phone for any messages, but there aren't any. I call Khalidiah and she answers on the third ring.

"Hello?" she answers.

"Hi, Khalidiah. It's Hazel," I say.

"Hey, what's up?" she asks.

"Um, I was wondering if we could meet somewhere to talk," I say, my voice shaking.

"Sure, how about I meet you at the Starbucks near your house in about half an hour," she suggests.

"That works. I'll see you soon," I say before I hang up.

I put my phone in my pocket and head downstairs, but I pause before exiting my room. I look at my nightstand and decide to take the ring with me. I shove it in my pocket and continue downstairs. I grab my jacket and the keys to the car as I head out the front door. Ten minutes later, I'm sitting in the back corner of the Starbucks, sipping some hot chocolate. I wait for Khalidiah to show up and fifteen minutes later, she comes in.

I wave at her and she waves back as she comes over to the table. She sits down in one of the chairs and looks at me. I take a sip of my hot chocolate, wondering how to start. She waits patiently as I sit there, thinking. Finally, I decide to just dive in.

"Can you tell me who Thierry Descouedres is?" I ask.

Her expression changes instantly from happy to shock. Now it's my turn to wait for her to speak. I watch her as she goes back and forth between telling me or not. Then, she sighs and looks me in the eyes.

"I don't know. Do you believe in your powers?" she says instead of answering my question.

I look down at my cup. My grandma pops into my head and I smile. I think of everything she told me. She taught me how to perform spells and make potions. She always told me that magic is all around us no matter what. Whenever I did a spell, I really felt like I had powers. But when Grandma died, it's as if that part of me died, too.

"_You have amazing powers, Hazel. Don't let them go to waste like your mother's_," I hear a voice say.

Tears fill my eyes when I recognize the voice. It's my grandmother's.

I take my ring out of my pocket and put it on my finger. I look at Khalidiah and nod. "Yeah, I do believe in my powers," I say.

She smiles at me, but her voice is serious. "Are you sure? I don't want you to change your mind. That could be very dangerous," she says.

I look at my ring, the black dahlia sparkling in the light. "Yes, I'm sure," I say, smiling.

"Okay then," she sighs, "Now why do you want to know who Thierry Descouedres is?"

It's my turn to sigh. "Can you just tell me who he is? It's a long story," I say, not looking her in the eyes.

Her hand covers mine and I feel her squeeze it. "Sure," she says and I look up.

"Before I can get to Thierry, I have to tell you something else first. There is this secret world called the Night World. It's all around us, but only certain people know about it. Witches, vampires, and shapeshifters all like among humans. That's what the Night World is. Since you believe in your powers, you're a witch and so am I," she explains.

She points at her ring. "A black dahlia represents a witch. Shapeshifters have a different flower for whatever animal they are. A black iris represents a born vampire and a black rose represents a turned vampire," she says.

"This brings me to Thierry. He is a Lord of the Night World. He rules over all the made vampires. He was the first made vampire. Maya, the first vampire, turned him," she says.

"How can I find him?" I ask.

She shakes her head. "Oh no, I'm not telling you anything else until you explain why you wanted to know about Thierry," she says.

I sigh. "Fine." I take a deep breath. "I got a note from Duncan. He took my mom and wanted to meet with me. So I talked with him and he wants me to kill Thierry if I want to know where my mom is," I say.

I look at Khalidiah, but she doesn't do anything. We sit there like that, me staring at her and Khalidiah staring at her hands. Finally, she sighs.

"And you're really going to kill him?" she asks, calmly.

"No, of course not! I just want to talk to him. Duncan said that Thierry was a 'friend' of his and I want to know how they know each other," I say, surprised she would ask that.

"I can take you to him –" she says, but I try to interrupt. She holds up a hand, stopping me.

"I can take you to him and I know you don't want me to get involved, but can you promise you'll be careful? I don't want you to get hurt," she whispers, her eyes watering.

I nod as I grab her hand. I give it a squeeze. "I promise and thank you," I say.

She nods and squeezes back. We hug and talk for a few more minutes, then we both head home. I walk upstairs and fall onto my bed. I lay there for a few minutes, and then suddenly sit up. I gasp when I remember what Khalidiah said.

I picture Zander's shirt in my mind and see the black rose. The petals seem so real. If what Khalidiah said is true, then Zander is a made vampire.

"So he _is _a vampire," I say to myself.

I sit there, thinking about what this realization means, when I hear the doorbell. I get up and walk downstairs. I open the front door and come face to face with Zander. I stand there, staring at him.

"Hey," he says, sheepishly.

"Hi," I croak out.

We stand there staring at each other when he clears his throat.

"Oh I'm sorry. You want to come in?" I say, moving aside to let him walk past me.

His arm brushes against my chest and a shiver goes down my spine. I close the door and led him to the living room. I sit down on the couch and he sits in the chair across from me. My heart sinks to see him so far away, but I don't make a move to get closer.

"I'd offer you something to drink, but I don't think I have anything you would like," I say, giving a dry laugh.

He smiles, but we both fall silent. I sit there, listening to the clock on the wall tick the seconds by. I glance at Zander every now and then, not knowing what to say.

"So," we both say at the same time. We lock eyes for a second and then we burst out laughing.

I try to stop, but for some reason, I can't stop laughing. After a few minutes, we're breathing heavily and we've fallen into a comfortable silence.

I break the silence by asking, "So why are you here?"

He looks at me, startled by my voice, but he quickly recovers. "Oh, I just wanted to see if you were okay. You know, since that night," he says.

I nod. "Yeah, I'm okay," I answer.

"So, where are your parents?" he asks.

"Oh, my dad left my mom and me when I was five and my mom is . . ." my voice trails off.

"And your mom . . ." he prompts.

"My mom was kidnapped," I whisper, softly.

Zander gasps and tears fill my eyes. I hear a _whoosh_ and then Zander is sitting next to me. I feel his hand on my shoulder and I lean on him.

"What happened?" he asks and I tell him everything: after the party, when I found the note, meeting Duncan, talking to Khalidiah, and knowing what he is.

"Oh, Hazel, I'm sorry," he whispers, his breath hot on my cheek.

"It's not your fault," I whisper back.

"It kind of is. I could have stopped Duncan, but I let him go." He pulls away from me and slams his fist on the coffee table. I flinch as the sound echoes through the house. I'm surprised it didn't break.

"You couldn't have known Duncan would go after my mom," I say.

I put a hand on his shoulder and he looks at me. His eyes glow red and his teeth are starting to extend.

"It's okay," I whisper.

"No, it's not. But I want to help. I'm going with you to Thierry's," he says.

I shake my head. "No, you're not. I don't want anyone else to get involved in this," I say, my voice serious.

"But I'm already involved. When I attacked Duncan, I became involved," he yells.

"I don't care. You're not coming with me," I say, my decision made.

He looks at me surprised and sighs. He runs a hand through his hair. "Fine," he says.

Without another word, he gets up and is gone. I don't hear anything and I stand there, waiting for . . . I don't what. A few minutes later, the doorbell rings and I open the front door to see Khalidiah there.

"Are you ready?" she asks.

I nod. "Let me just grab my jacket," I say as I put my jacket on and head out the door to her car. We get in and start to head down my street.

"So where does Thierry live?" I ask.

"Las Vegas," she answers.

"Las Vegas?" I say, not sure I heard her right.

"Yep, it's about two hours from here, so you can nap if you want. I can drive the whole way," she says.

"I'm not tired though," I say, but a few minutes later, I'm yawning.

Eventually, I fall asleep. The next thing I know Khalidiah is nudging me. I yawn and stretch my arms. I move in my seat to wake my leg up and I look out the window.

"Where are we?" I ask.

"We're here," she says, pointing out her window.

I get out of the car to get a better view and I just stare at the house. It's beautiful. I hear Khalidiah get out of the car and to stand next to me.

"It is pretty," she says.

I nod, not knowing what to say.

"Come on," she says, starting up the drive.

I follow her and when we get to the front door, I see black roses everywhere. There's a black rose in a stained-glass window above the front doors. Black roses had been worked into the frames of the windows as well.

Khalidiah rings the doorbell and I stand next to her. I hear someone say something and then footsteps coming closer. Then the door opens and a girl around our age is standing in front of us. She has blonde hair and gray eyes, but what is beautiful about her is the birthmark on her cheek. It was like a flower petal laid on her cheek and the pink color stayed there.

"Can I help you?" she asks.

"Yes, we're here to talk to Thierry, well mostly her. You must be Hannah," Khalidiah says.

The girl nods. "Yeah, I'm Hannah Snow. Have we met?" she asks.

"No, but I've heard about you. Thierry and I have talked over the years and he told me he found you," she explains.

"Oh, well, if you're friends of Thierry, you're friends of mine. Come on in. I'll tell him you're here," Hannah says.

She turns to leave and Khalidiah and I walk into the house. It's huge. It was pretty on the outside, but it's even more beautiful on the inside. We stand there, waiting when Hannah comes back with a guy around our age. He has light blonde hair and dark eyes. They stop in front of us and recognition flashes across the guy's face.

"Khalidiah?" the guy asks.

"Thierry, it's nice to see you," she says.

"You too. How long has it been?" he says.

"I think the last time I saw you, it was at that skating rink in the seventies," she says.

I gasp and look at my friend. "What?" I ask, confused.

Khalidiah looks at me and smiles. "I'll tell you later. Anyway, Thierry, this is my friend, Hazel. She would like to talk to you about something?" she says, turning back to him.

Thierry looks to me. "Well, nice to meet you Hazel. What is it you want to talk about?" he says.

"It's nice to meet you, too. But it's a little complicated," I say, looking down at my shoes.

Khalidiah sighs and I look at her. She has a smile on her face. _Oh no_. I know that smile.

"Oh, well it has to do with killing you," she says. Then, she looks at her wrist. "Oh look at the time, well I got to go. Call me when you're done," she says and with that she heads out the door.

We all stare at the door and then I look at Thierry, sheepishly. Then, he starts laughing.

"Khalidiah always knew how to make me laugh," Thierry says, "so what do you really need to talk to me about?"

"Actually, it does have to do with killing you?" I say and watch as his face falls.

**Thank you for reading the second chapter. I hope you liked it. Please review if you can. And I promise to upload the next chapter as soon as possible. Happy Holidays! **


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I don't own Thierry, Hannah, Lupe, or anything from the Night World Series. I do own Zander and Hazel. **

**I really am sorry for not updating sooner. I've been really busy with school and random events in my life. Plus, I haven't had any inspiration to write until recently. I really do apologize and feel really bad for the people who want to read this story. I hope there are people who still want to read this. I have the ideas in my head, it's just getting it onto paper is the problem. Darn it, laziness! Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter and I promise to update as soon as possible. **

**Hazel**

"Do you want to explain?" he asks, looking confused.

Sure," I say as he leads me into a seating area.

I take the chair across from Hannah and Thierry. I sigh.

"I'm really sorry. Khalidiah was just being weird like she always is…" I trail off. I think about how to explain.

"Let me start at the beginning. Yesterday night, I came home from a party, but my mom wasn't there. I searched the entire house, but I couldn't find her. So I laid down on the couch when I heard a noise. I got up and found a note on the kitchen floor. It said, 'My dear Hazel, you have been a bad girl. I had no idea you knew that . . . _boy_. Anyway, you should not have crossed me. I told you to be careful. Maybe I should have told your mother that as well. She is quite nice, maybe even too nice. She just let me right in. I won't threaten you or anything, but I think you're smart enough to know what I'm saying. I need to talk to you, Hazel and this is the only way to do that. Meet me at our favorite place and we can talk. Forever yours, Duncan.'" I pause, letting them take in what I've said.

"And then, I dropped the note and ran out the front door. I found him by a tree we used to go to when we were dating. He told me that he had my mom and that I needed to kill you if I wanted her back. I don't remember much after that, but I think Duncan hypnotized me. Whenever I'm around him, I feel all confused. I'm not here to kill you Thierry. I just wanted to talk," I explain.

I look around, not wanting to look at him. A few minutes of awkward silence pass when he sighs. I look back at him, hoping he isn't mad.

"Well, I don't know what to say. I always knew Duncan would be back, but I didn't think he would send someone else to do his dirty work," he says, obviously flustered.

"So what do we do?" I ask, hoping he has a solution.

Thierry stands up and starts to pace. "I don't know, but right now I would like you to stay here with me. You'll be safe here and Duncan won't be able to get to you," he says.

He stops pacing and sits back down next to Hannah. He runs a hand through his hair. Then he calls someone into the room. A girl with silvery-brown hair and amber eyes walks in.

"Hazel, this is Lupe. She helps around the house. If you need anything, just ask her," he explains.

I give her a smile and she smiles backs. "Lupe, if you could get a room ready for Hazel, she's going to be staying with us for a little while," Thierry says.

Lupe nods and heads out of the room. Thierry stands up. "Well, I think that's all we can do for right now," he says.

Before he leaves the room, someone opens the door behind me. I turn to see who it is. My mouth drops open. Zander comes into the room, closing the door behind him. I stand up.

"What are you doing here?" I ask, my voice demanding.

Zander turns around at the sound of my voice. Surprise flashes across his face. He looks between me and Thierry. I move closer to him.

"What are you doing here?" I ask again, my heart pounding.

He just stares at me. Thierry steps between us, blocking the view of Zander from me.

"Zander lives here. I was the one who turned him," Thierry says.

The words sink in and I open my mouth to say something, but I change my mind. I slowly walk back to my seat and sit down. I sit there staring into space, not knowing what to do. I hear Thierry and Zander leave, the sound of the door closing echoing through the room. I sit in silence when someone speaks.

"Are you okay?" Hannah asks, moving closer to me.

I forgot she was still in here. I turn to look at her and I see her staring at me, concern in her eyes. "I don't know. I'm really confused right now," I sigh.

"Well, I can tell you like Zander," she says.

"What?! I do not like Zander," I yell.

Hannah laughs. "I know how you feel. I used to hate Thierry, but then I found out the truth about him and I went looking for him," she says, "Thierry and I are soulmates. We're meant to be together. Once you find yours, you'll always want to be with them."

I look away from her, thinking about what she said. Whenever I'm around Zander, my heart starts to pound. I can't stop thinking about him: his eyes, his smile. I hated when I saw him with Khalidiah. My eyes widen. I jump up from my chair.

"Oh my God! I _do_ like Zander" I scream, my voice shaking. I start to pace. "But . . . but . . . we can't be . . . soulmates," I stammer.

I continue pacing when Hannah starts laughing. I stop pacing suddenly and turn to face her. I cross my arms over my chest and glare at her. "Why are you laughing?" I ask, my voice harsh.

She stops laughing, covering her mouth with her hands. "I'm sorry. You just remind me a lot of myself. You see, I'm an old soul. My soul has been reincarnated lots of times and Thierry was in all of my past lives. He was always there, but we met a long time ago. He was the first turned vampire and was basically an animal. He accidentally killed me in my first life, but he managed to find me in all of my other lives. What I'm saying is I love him even for what he is. His love for me won't die and neither will mine for him. Don't fight it. It will only make things harder," she says softly, touching the mark on her face.

I sit down next to her. "Can I ask you something?" She looks up at me and nods.

"You're human, but have you ever thought about becoming a vampire? I mean, I'm a witch, but I'm not immortal like Thierry and Zander. Since Zander is a vampire and if he is my soulmate, I would probably have to change into one or I'd die. I wouldn't be reincarnated like you. I wouldn't want to do that to him. When I died, he would be without his soulmate for the rest of his life," I say quietly.

Hannah looks away from me and sighs. "Yeah, I have thought about becoming a vampire. I've lived lots of lives already. I don't need another one. But at the same time, I don't need to become a vampire because I _am_ an old soul. Thierry would always find me. We would always be together in all of my life times. As for you, I don't know what you should do. If you do decide to be with Zander, I don't know what would happen to you. I know a girl who was a witch, but she didn't know it. She was turned into a vampire because she was dying. But since you know you're a witch, I don't know how that affects you. Maybe you should ask Thierry," Hannah answers.

I look at my hands and sigh. "This is all so new to me. When my grandmother died, I stopped believing in my magic. I kept telling myself that since she was gone, I couldn't do magic anymore. She taught me everything I know about being a witch," I whisper.

My eyes fill with tears. They run down my cheek, silently escaping from my eyes. I sniffle. Then, I smile through my tears. I turn to Hannah and laugh.

"You know what's funny is my mom hated me going over to my grandmother's shop. She hated that my grandmother taught me magic. She never believed in that stuff. I guess that's why they never had a very good relationship, but when my grandmother found out my mom was having me, she was so happy. She told my mom that I was going to be good at magic. That I was so gifted," I say.

I fall silent, thinking of my mom and grandma. I wipe the tears from my face and Hannah takes my hand. She smiles at me and I smile back. I sigh and continue, "Now that I've been thrown back into this world, I don't know what to do. My mom's been kidnapped by my vampire ex-boyfriend, the guy I like is a vampire, I'm a witch, and I have to kill your boyfriend to get my mom back. I don't know what to do."

I get up and start to pace. Hannah gets up, too, and walks over to me. I stop pacing and look at her.

"It's been a long day. Why don't you get some rest and we can figure something out tomorrow?" she says, putting her hand on my shoulder.

I nod and we both head out of the room. We find Lupe standing near the door.

"Your room is ready, Hazel," she says to me.

I say good-bye to Hannah and follow Lupe. She leads me upstairs to a door with an intricate design of a rose of it. She opens it and I go inside. The room is amazing. The bed is so huge and looks so soft. I walk around, not wanting to break anything. I find the bathroom and gasp in shock. There's a Jacuzzi tub and gigantic shower. I head back into the bedroom and laugh.

"This is incredible," I sigh, sitting on the bed.

"I thought you would like it," Lupe says, smiling.

I lie down on the bed, the mattress squishing under my weight. "This feels magnificent," I say.

Lupe laughs and I sit up. I get up and walk to a wardrobe. I open the doors, but it's empty.

"Oh, Thierry didn't know anyone was going to be staying here, so they aren't any clothes in here yet. But he's arranging to get some for you," Lupe says behind me.

I close the doors and turn around. "It's okay. I can sleep in what I'm wearing for right now," I say.

I walk back to the bed and sit down. I sigh, millions of thoughts running through my head. Lupe sits down beside me.

"So, you like that Zander kid," she says.

I look at her surprised. She laughs. "News travels fast around here. Plus, I could hear what you and Hannah were saying," she says.

I look at her, confused. "I'm a shapeshifter; a werewolf to be exact. I have pretty good hearing," she explains.

"You're a werewolf?" I ask.

She nods. "Yep. Most of the people you see around here are vampires, but there are a few werewolves like myself," she says.

I sigh. "I guess I wasn't really ready for all of this. I think a part of me has always known that there was a whole different world, but since my grandma died, I shoved that part away," I whisper.

Lupe squeezes my knee. "You'll get used to it. Don't worry. But, right now I think you should get some rest. Goodnight Hazel," she says, getting up and leaving the room.

"Night, Lupe," I whisper.

I climb under the covers and snuggle into bed. A few minutes later, I fall asleep.

"Hazel . . . Hazel," I hear someone whisper.

"Hazel, come to me."

"Hazel."

"Hazel!" a voice yells.

I sit up in bed, panting. I look around, remembering where I am. I calm my breathing and put my head in my hands. I stay like that for a few minutes when I get out of bed and head to the window. I open the shutters and see that it's still dark out. I sigh and decide to walk around. I head out of my room and down the hall.

At the end of the hall, there's a balcony and I open the doors. A cool breeze blows my hair back and I breathe in the night air. I walk to the rail and put my hands on the bar. I look up at the stars flickering in the sky. The moon shines down on me, giving me comfort.

"Couldn't sleep either?" a voice asks from behind.

I turn around, surprised. Zander leans against the doorframe, looking at me. I sigh and turn back around.

"Yeah, I couldn't sleep," I answer him.

He walks over to stand beside me. I look back up at the moon. He just stands there, not saying anything.

"Are you going to say anything, or are you just going to keep staring at me?" I ask jokingly.

He laughs. "I don't know what to say. You seemed pretty mad at me earlier," he says.

I sigh and turn to face him. "I'm not mad at you. I was just surprised to see you here and I'm really confused right now," I explain.

"Well, at least you're not mad," he says, relieved.

He falls silent and we stand there awkwardly. I turn back to the moon when Zander breaks the silence.

"Why did you come out here?" he asks.

I look at him. "My grandmother taught me that the moon gives off positive energy. If I ever felt sad or alone or scared, I should go outside at night and take in the positive energy. Plus, I've always liked being outside at night. It's peaceful and you can just talk to the moon and the stars," I answer.

Zander laughs. I nudge him. "Hey, it's not funny. You asked, so I answered. But what about you? Why are you creeping around?" I say, annoyed.

"Well, I've been up for a few hours because I couldn't sleep like you. I was walking around when I just felt like I needed to go outside. So I headed here since this was the closet place. You just happened to be here," he explains.

"Oh," I say, looking away from him.

We stand in silence once again. Then, Zander puts his hand on mine. I pull away, looking at him.

"Sorry, I didn't mean . . ." he trails off.

"No, don't apologize. You just surprised me," I say, taking his hand.

His green eyes stare at me. "You feel it, too?" he whispers.

I nod. "I've felt something ever since you ran into me," I say.

"Me too," he says.

Then, Zander kisses me. My eyes widen in surprise, but then I close them. His kiss is soft and sweet, but full of love. I wrap my arms around his neck and kiss him back. He wraps his arms around my waist, pulling me to him. I feel his chest against me. Then, he pulls away.

He sighs as he runs his hand through his hair. "I've been wanting to do that for a long time," he says.

I smile at him and he smiles back. "Me too," I say.

"You know, I haven't been able to get you out of my head. Your brown eyes, your smile, everything about you plays like a loop through my head," he says.

"That's the same with me. I think about you all the time," I pause, "do you know about soulmates?"

Zander looks at me. "Soulmates? I think Thierry may have said something about that before," he answers.

"Well, Hannah and I talked about soulmates today and she thinks we're soulmates," I say.

He sighs. "Wow, soulmates. You mean like we're meant to be together?" he says.

I nod. We both fall silent. The only sound is our breathing. The wind blows around us, making me shiver. Zander moves closer to me and wraps his arms around me, keeping me warm. I look up at Zander and stare at him. He keeps looking up at the sky.

"What are you doing?" I ask.

"Taking in the positive energy," he answers.

He smiles down at me and winks. I laugh and so does he.

"Hazel, can I ask you something?" he says.

"Sure, what is it?" I say.

"Will you be my soulmate?" he asks.

I stare at him, wondering if he's serious or not. I stand there, dumbstruck, not knowing what to say. I move away from him, his arms falling to his sides. When I don't answer, he waves his hand as if to erase the question.

"Forget about it. It was stupid of me to ask," he says.

I turn to him. "No, it wasn't stupid. You just caught me off guard . . . again," I joke.

He smiles. "There's that smile I love so much," I say.

I walk back over to him and wrap my arms around him. He wraps his arms around me.

"Yes," I say.

"What?" he asks.

"Yes, I'll be your soulmate."

**Thanks for reading. As always, it's much appreciated to review. I really would like to hear what you guys think about my writing and what i should do to try ad get better. Again, thanks. I really love getting comments from you. **


	4. Chapter 4

**I'm really sorry for not uploading something sooner. I always say I'll upload as soon as I can, but it never seems soon enough for me. I really hope this will make it a little better. I'm finally on summer break right now, so I don't have to worry about school. So hopefully I can upload sooner rather than later. Fingers crossed. *crosses fingers* Anyway, I hope you guys like this chapter and please review. I love reading your guys comments. :)**

**Disclaimer - I don't anything from the Night World series. I do own Hazel, Zander, and Duncan. **

**Hazel**

I laugh. "Did I really just say that?"

Zander nods and smiles. "Yes, you did, and I'm glad you did," he says.

I groan and hide my face in his shirt. "I'm never going to live this down." I look up at him. "If you tell anyone I said that, I will kill you, soulmate or not," I threaten.

Zander laughs. "My lips are sealed, but now you have to actually like me," he jokes.

I punch his arm, playfully. "Hey, you don't have to reduce to violence," he says, spinning me around.

I squeak and blush at the sound I just made. I groan again. "Why am I acting like such a girl?"

Zander looks me up and down. "Maybe because you are one? You are a girl, right?" he answers.

I glare at him. "I know that. I mean, why do I have to act like this around you? I really don't like it," I say, crossing my arms.

Zander looks down at me and smiles. "But I like the way you're acting. It's kind of cute," he laughs.

I try not to smile, but fail. "Okay, but I'm only going to act like that around you."

Zander kisses me. "Deal."

We continue to talk until I yawn and Zander walks me back to my room. We stop outside my door and stare at each other. Silence surrounds us in the dark hallway. I'm lost in thought when Zander breaks the silence.

"We're going to get her back. Everything's going to be fine," he whispers.

I just nod and head into my room. I close the room behind me and lean against it. I sigh and close my eyes. I hear Zander walk away from the door. My eyes start to water and I force myself not to cry, but it doesn't work. Tears fall down my cheeks and I start to sob. I crawl over to my bed and climb into it. I wipe my eyes and pull the covers up to my chin.

I close my eyes and before I drift off to sleep I whisper, "I hope you're right, Zander."

"Kill him."

"You need to kill him."

"Kill him!"

I sit up in bed, looking around frantically. I sigh when I realize it was just a dream. I shiver and see that the window is open. I get out of bed to close it when I notice it's morning. I close the window and head over to the closet to see if there are any clothes.

I open the door and find three pairs of jeans, a jacket, five shirts, and some flats. I put on a new pair of jeans, a blue t-shirt, and the flats. I head downstairs and find Thierry and Hannah in the room where we talked yesterday.

"It's okay. You just need to tell her," I hear Hannah say just before I enter the room.

"Tell me what?" I ask, looking from Hannah to Thierry.

Thierry and Hannah both look at me. When no one says anything, I ask again. Still, no one answers me.

"What do you need to tell me?" I say through clenched teeth, trying to stay calm.

Thierry sighs and runs a hand through his hair. He sits down in a chair and I do the same. He looks at me and I know something is wrong.

"What happened?" I whisper.

He sighs again. "Duncan contacted me last night-"

"What?!" I yell, interrupting him.

He holds up a hand to silence me. "He contacted me. He said he was surprised and yet not at all that I wasn't dead yet. He told me that since I wasn't dead yet and that you hadn't returned, he had. . ." he trailed off.

"He had what?" I ask, dreading the answer.

"That he had already killed your mother. He told me to inform you that you didn't need to continue and that you should go home," Thierry finishes.

I freeze. My vision tunnels and everything slows down. I sit there, staring at my hands, not knowing what to do. I feel like I'm a thousand miles away and yet still in the room. My feet feel heavy, but my arms feel so light.

I look around and realize I'm crying. It feels like hours pass, but I can't be sure. Then, suddenly, someone wraps their arms around me. I think it's Hannah, but when I look up, Zander's face stares back at me. I try to smile, but can't. I sob harder and lean my head against his chest. He rocks me back and forth.

Then, I wake up in my room. I sit up slowly and look around. I put my head in my hands.

"Was it all a dream?" I whisper.

"I'm sorry, but it wasn't," a voice answers me.

I look up and see Zander standing at the foot of my bed. I stare at him and he nods. My eyes begin to water again and he's suddenly sitting next to me. He takes my hand in his and gives it a squeeze. He wraps me in his arms and rests his head on the top of my head.

"I'm sorry, but it did happen," he whispers into my hair.

"But that doesn't mean it's true," I whisper back.

He pulls away and looks me in the eyes. "Why would Duncan pretend your mom was dead?"

I straighten my shoulders, feeling more confident. "I think he wants me to continue. He thinks I won't give up even if he says my mom is dead. He wants me to find her, so he can get to me."

Zander looks at me, confused. "But why would he want to do that? Why does he want you?"

"For my powers, I think. He wants to use my magic for something," I answer.

Zander falls silent. He looks away and doesn't say anything. Then, he turns back to me and nods. "If you believe your mom is still alive, then I think so, too. I'll help you find her."

I smile and hug Zander. He laughs and wraps his arms around me. I sigh into him and he squeezes me. I wish we could stay like that forever, but eventually he pulls away.

I stare at his green eyes. "What?" he asks.

I blush and look away. "It's nothing."

He makes me look at him. "What is it?" he asks.

I sigh. "I just. . .I wanted to know about your past."

Zander's eyes grow dark and he looks away. "Oh."

I put my hand on his. "You don't have to tell me. If it's hard, I can wait," I say.

He turns back to me. "No, I can tell you. It's just. . .It _is_ a little hard to talk about." He pauses. "What do you want to know?"

I think about it for a second. "Well, um, why did Thierry change you?"

He runs a hand through his hair. "Well, you know that I hadn't been changed until recently."

I nod.

"I got mixed up with some dangerous people. I needed to make some money, so I put out an ad that said I would do any job anyone had as long as they would pay me. I did a few jobs like mow someone's lawn or walk someone's dog. But then someone sent me an email saying they would pay me two thousand bucks if I did something for them."

He trails off and shivers. I rest a hand on his arm, trying to comfort him. He lays his hand over mine and smiles. Then he continues.

"So I went to the address to see what the job was. It was at this warehouse, so I thought the job would be like moving something heavy or checking inventory or something. I went in and was attacked. It was a bunch of rogue vampires. The leader said he would pay me two thousand bucks if I let them drink from me. I refused, but they drank from me away. It was after the fourth vampire that drank from me before Thierry came. He staked all of them and then tried to help me. I had already lost a lot of blood, so he turned me. I wouldn't be alive if it wasn't for him."

I sigh. "Wow."

"Yeah. But that wasn't the worst that happened," Zander says.

I look at Zander. "What? What happened after that?" I ask, scared.

"Apparently, the rogues knew where I lived. The leader had gone to the warehouse, but he had sent some other vampires to my house. When the others found out the ones at the warehouse were dead, they attacked my parents. When I finally got home, they were dead. They had been drained. Thierry didn't want me staying there since I was a newly turned vampire. He helped me through the transition. He told the police that my parents had been murdered and he was the one who got me emancipated. I have my own place back in town, but I live here at the mansion on weekends and during breaks to help Thierry out."

Zander stops and I know he's done. I don't know what to say. I squeeze Zander's hand, trying to make him feel better.

"I know you've probably heard this a million times before, but. . .I'm sorry."

He smiles. "It's better when you say it."

I laugh and lean my head on his shoulder. We fall into a comfortable silence. We sit there, enjoying each other's presence.

"Zander?" I say.

"Yeah?"

"I'm glad I met you."

He laughs. "I'm glad I met you."

I yawn. "I think it's time for you to get some rest," Zander says.

I nod, suddenly sleepy. I lie down on the pillows and close my eyes. Zander tucks me in and kisses my forehead. I smile, knowing he's staring at me. I hear him turn the lights off and leave the room. The door clicks shut behind him and I fall asleep.

"Hazel," someone whispers.

"Wake up."

"Get up, Hazel."

I groan and open my eyes. I gasp when I look around. I'm on the roof of a house made of stone. I get up off the ground and walk to the railing. The house is on a beach and the sun is starting to set. I look around frantically, seeing if anyone else is around. When I don't see anyone, I sit down on a stone bench.

That's when I realize I'm in a dress. It's white and doesn't have any sleeves. It's flowy and feels like it's made of silk. I feel my hair and it's in a bun. I get up and yell.

"Is anyone here?!"

"I'm here," someone says behind me.

I spin around and glare at him.

"Duncan."

He smiles at me. "You look beautiful," he says, trying to seem flirty.

I cross my arms and continue to glare at him. "What's going on, Duncan?" I demand.

He throws his head back and laughs. "I guess my charm doesn't work here."

I snort. "What charm?"

He glares at me, and then clears his throat. "You're probably wondering what I'm doing here," he says, his voice disgustingly smooth.

"Yeah, I'm wondering a lot of things. Like why am I dressed like this, or how did I get here. Oh, let's not forget what the hell is going on?!"

Duncan shakes his head. "You always did get a little feisty when you got mad." I open my mouth to retort, but he holds up a hand. I close my mouth and let him continue, restraining myself from ripping him apart.

"You are dreaming right now. We are in your dream, or I should say I'm in your dream. I wanted to show you something," he says.

I stare at him, curious. He waves his hand and an image starts to appear in front of him. It's a little fuzzy, so I squint to try to see it better. The image starts to focus and I gasp.

My mom is tied up and gagged in a room. There's a little light, but it wouldn't matter. Something is tied around her eyes, so she can't see either. She struggles against the binds, but it doesn't seem to be working.

I reach for her, wanting to help, but the image shimmers and fades away. My eyes start to water, but I swallow back the tears.

"Aw, little Hazel is about to cry," Duncan laughs.

"Shut the hell up!" I scream at him.

He laughs even more. I jump at him, ready to kill him, but he's really fast. I stop and look around, adrenaline running through my system.

"You can't touch me here, Hazel. I know more about this world than you do," Duncan says from behind me.

I whirl around and try to attack him again, but he dodges again. He laughs and I fall to my knees. Tears stream down my face.

I scream. "Why are you doing this to me?!"

Duncan's voice echoes around me. "Because it's fun. Tick tock, Hazel. You don't have a lot of time."

His voice fades away, but echoes within my mind. I sit there crying, not knowing what to believe. My tears turn to sobs and I wipe my face. My bun came undone and my hair falls in my face.

"I'm going to find you, Mom. I _will_ find you."

Then, I collapse and everything goes dark.

I wake up in my room in my own clothes. It's just me in the room. I look out the window and see it's still night. I get out of bed and walk over to the window. I stare at the moon, trying to get rid of the last bits of my dream.

I lean against the windowsill and sigh. The wind blows my hair back and I smile.

"I know, Grandma. I'll do a spell."

I head downstairs and find a blue candle and some matches. I go back to my room and set the candle under the window. I sit down in front of it and light a match.

"O Goddess within; O God within. O Goddess of the Moon, the Waters, and the Earth. O God of the Sun, the Forests, and the Mountains. I need to feel your presence. I need to be reminded. Assist me to remember. Show me the key that will show me the way," I say before I light the candle.

I stare at the flame and say, "With the light of the moon and the flame of this candle, let my dreams show me the truth. Blessed be."

I put the candle out and sit in the moonlight for a few more minutes. When I'm done with the spell, I take the candle and put it in the closet. I put the matches on one of the nightstands. Focusing on my dreams, I crawl into bed and close my eyes. A few minutes later, I fall asleep.

I wake up on the roof again, but this time I'm not a dress. I look around, but don't see Duncan anywhere. I give a sigh of relief when I don't feel his presence either. I walk to the center of the roof and sit down.

I stare up at the sky and start another spell. "Show me the truth. Show me what cannot be seen. With the power of the moon and her light, show me what I wish to see. Blessed be the way."

An image forms in front of me. It's like the one that appeared with Duncan. My mom is tied up and gagged in a room with very little light. She's blindfolded and there doesn't seem to be a door anywhere in the room.

"Show me, please," I whisper, shutting my eyes.

Light pours from the image and the scene changes. I open my eyes and see a house on a hill at night. There's the sound of the ocean nearby. The hill has green grass on it. A path leads up to the house. The house is very old. It seems to be made of gray stone.

"Please, show me more," I plead. But that's when I woke up.

**Thanks for reading. I hope you liked it and please review. I really appreciate it. Thanks :)**


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